In recent years, there has been a marked surge in the popularity of numerous commercial database systems, such as the Prodigy.RTM. data retrieval service. These database services provide various information and popular services that may be sought by the public-at-large, such as travel information, news retrieval, or stock quotation indices. The computerized databases are designed to be accessed by end-users from the home or office.
In a typical database system, the desired information is accumulated at a host computer system or network, in which the information is stored in databases or files that may be accessed by the end-user. In order to access this information or to use the services provided by the host computer network, a retrieval terminal or some other means to access information from the remote host database is required by the end-user.
Systems have been previously developed for accessing computerized databases through a telephone communication network by an apparatus that implements telephone functions and displays the requested data on a display monitor. As an example, Sargent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,662) discloses a system for displaying information retrieved over a telephone network on a terminal apparatus. Bendig (U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,701) similarly proposes a system for providing interactive communication with a remote database over a telephone exchange, which utilizes a television receiver to display the data retrieved. Schussler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,254) also relates to another system for displaying information received from a remote data bank via a telephone exchange, on a user's television receiver.
However, the above-mentioned systems suffer a number of drawbacks. All of these systems require an additional peripheral device (and its associated cost) in order to utilize and control the operation of the device. The prior systems that utilize the telephone keypad as a control means do so only to establish connection to a remote database. Consequently, the necessary addition of a peripheral keyboard or keypad to control the terminals inevitably increases the expense of these known systems.
Furthermore, in several of the prior systems, and specifically the Sargent and Schussler et al. systems, the display device that is utilized does not comprise a readily available component (for example, a conventional television receiver) but rather entails a modified or specifically equipped display device. The use of such a specialized display device inevitably increases the cost of the overall system to the consumer/user.
An additional drawback of the previously-known systems is that they lack a reprogrammable memory capability. A system without such a feature possesses significant limitations. For example, any required future enhancements, repairs or modifications to the units must be serviced by field personnel, or recalled from the consumer marketplace back to the manufacturer for such changes. Such a costly servicing of the prior systems may be avoided, in many cases, if a reprogrammable memory capability had been available, which would allow modifications to be easily implemented from a remote location. Thus, the lack of programmable memory leaves the systems wanting in expansibility due to their inflexibility.
Finally, these known systems are not designed to be used principally with existing accessory devices already possessed by the consumer, such as a telephone and television receiver. This would advantageously serve to render the device inexpensive.
As is known, home personal computers are often employed as a database access means. By connecting the personal computer to an external modem, the end-user is able to telephonically access information located in the host computer database. In fact, the recent popularity and increased use of personal home computers by the public-at-large has fueled the development and expanded use of commercial database systems.
Although providing a feasible way for accessing the stored information, the home computer/modem/monitor combination presents a number of significant drawbacks. For example, although the cost of home computers has significantly decreased over the years, the purchase price of most computers may be a deterrent for the average consumer who might consider subscribing to a commercial host database system. Moreover, there are occasions when the potential end-user of the host database system has no need or desire to purchase a personal computer other than for accessing the database system. The purchase of a home computer is thereby rendered impracticable for such an end-user.
Additionally, certain required peripherals, such as an external modem and display monitor, must be purchased separately from the computer. These additional components are necessary to enable the computer to access and display the information retrieved from the host database. Thus, the cost to the consumer is further increased.
The above described cost barrier presents significant problems for host database operators, in that the potential market for end-users of the database system is significantly reduced. Because host database operators have had a somewhat limited market for offering their information or system database services, subscription costs to the end-users currently subscribing to such services has remained at an inflated level. Thus, many potential subscribers who would normally subscribe to a commercial database service will not do so because of the cost of using the service.
There are other concerns related to using personal computers as the access terminal. It would be advantageous for the host database operator to prevent unauthorized end-users from accessing the database. Also, it would be more cost efficient if host operators could vary the advertising viewed by the end-user each time the end-user logs onto the database system. Although achievable with current personal computers, it is necessary to include extra components with the system, which further adds to the cost to the end-user.
Apart from the stated concerns directed towards the access of information stored in remotely located commercial host database systems, it has become typical for businesses or other organizations to create "in-house" information databases. Typically, the database is stored at a centralized computer location. The stored information is shared or accessed by the direct connection of personal computers to the central computer. This is exemplified, for example, by a "LAN" network.
However, in order for the individual employees to make the most effective use of the information found in those centralized computers, corporations must invest significant capital to purchase a sufficient number of access terminals. This is often cost prohibitive to the business. Thus, the corporate database may not be used at its maximum efficiency, thereby placing an added financial burden onto the corporation.
Because of the size or bulkiness of most home personal computers, host database systems are not currently accessible to the end-user in certain desirable locations. For example, in the limited space environment of commercial airliners, automobiles, or even pleasure boats, there may be occasions when a passenger or occupant wishes to access information from host databases. However, space limitations aboard those craft prohibit the placement of a personal computer or similar unit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is not complex in its use in order to facilitate the interactive access of information from computerized host databases for the ordinary consumer/user.
A more specific object of the present invention to provide a apparatus for the interactive access of information from computerized host databases that employs conventional embodiments such as a telephone and television for accessing and displaying the information retrieved.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the interactive access of information from remote computerized databases that is compact in its size so as to not require much additional space.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of operating in a stand alone manner for interactively accessing and manipulating information from a computerized database.
Yet another object of the current invention is to provide a apparatus which may be programmably controlled and modified by a host database operator for interactively altering the accessing of information from a computerized database.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.